Resilient universal joint



H. D.,GEYER RESILIENT UNIVERSAL JONT Filed sept. 15, 1933 Feb. 1l, 1936.

v INVENTOR hrveyZ-eyer BY 7/1 0%@ Patented a Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT O Frlclal mesne assignments, to General Motors ration, Detroit,Mich. ware Corpoa corporation of Dela- Application September 15, 1933,Serial No. 689,641

8 Claims.

This'invention relates to universal joints such as are adapted for useon automobile propeller shafts andthe like.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and eillcientuniversal joint which will require 5 no-lubrication and give long wearwithout Aattention. Another object is to provide such a universal jointcontaining resilient non-metallic material,

sudden shocks in the torque transmitted thereby. Another object is toprovide a universal joint greatly reduce or prevent the transmissionofsound or other vibrations therethrough. Further objects and advantagesof the present invention will be apparent from the followingAdescription, reference being had to the accompanyin'g drawing, whereina preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawing: Fig..1 isa face elevation, looking in direction of arrowI of Fig. 3, of an automobile propeller shaft universal Joint madeaccording to this invention.' e

Fig. '3 is a side elevation and shows the joint v, connected to theadjacent ends of two shafts.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. I4, is-a section on line4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. ,5 is a side elevation of one of the trunnions. l 1

' Fig. 61s a view looking in direction of arrow 6 of Fig. 5. A .CSimilarreference characters refer to similar 35 parts throughout theseveral views.

. Il designates as a whole the metal housing, whiclris made in ,twohalves II secured together bythe four rivets I2. The halves I I are soshaped that when assembled together they provide four .40 90 4degreeradially extending sockets l'in 1a single plane, said sockets I5interconnecting with one another on the radii I l at the central portionofhousing III as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A spherical steel ballI6 is held in place at 'the 445 ,exact center of housingl III ,byl thetwo spherical of axially aligned trunnions 2D having their studs 55 22`injecting through one lidepof housing III.

such as resilient rubber, which will cushion any while the other pair ofaxially aligned trunnions having their studs 22 projecting through'theopposite side of housing I0.- Resilient rubber 30 or other suitablenon-metallic material, fills the space between the trunnions 20 and thehousing 5 sockets I5 and is held in non-slipping relation to these metalparts. I Preferably this resilient rubber 30 is'vulcanized in situ andis thus bonded by vulcanization to the trunnions 20, the housing I0wherever it contacts same, and to small areas lo of the central ball I6.This may be done by rst assembling all these parts with th uncuredrubber blanks inserted in place therebetween and inserting the assemblyin a vulcanizing mold. The trunnions 20 may be held properly located 15relative to housing III during vulcanization by the studs 22 which willt tight withinsuitable holes provided therefor in the mold. The moldwill also have annular portions fitting snugly into the annular openings25 around studs 22 and 20 thus conilne the rubber at these openingsduring vulcanization. y Other parts of themold will corinne the rubberat the peripheral openings 3| in housing I 0 opposite the ends oftrunnions 20 (see Fig. 3), or if desired the openings 3| may be 25-omitted. It will thus be seen that this form of the invention lendsitself admirably to vulcanizing the resilient rubber 30 in situ with allthe parts first assembled together as a. unit, thus greatly simplifyingthemanufacture of the uni- ,30 versal joint and reducing the costthereof. Since the rubber is bonded by vulcanization to the trunnions 20and housing III all relative movement between these parts duringoperation of the joint `will be taken by internal distortion in therubber rather than by any slipping of the rubber on these metal parts.

This universal joint unit is connected to the adjacent ends of theshafts 4,0 and 4I as clearly shown in Fig. 2. '.Each shaft has a.iianged fiti0y ting 42 rigidly xed thereto` by suitable means,

as by the nut I3. The pairof parallel studs 22 on Aeach side of the aintunit are inserted through tapered holes M inthe` two ttings42 and drawnup tight Atherein bythe nuts 45.on 45 the threaded ends 24 of studs 22.Thus the two pairs of aligned trunnions 20 are rigidly xed to the twoshafts respectively andinall cases move therewith.

. In' operation, power -torque is resiliently trans.- 50 mitted throughtlfe universal joint by the direct compression of the resilient rubbersleeves 30 enclosing the trunnions 2l);v Since arelatively large area ofrubber is in direct compression large power torque may be easilytransmitted without ii v shafts 4B and 4I is permitted by a rotarymoveles - aligned shafts respectively.

ment of each pair of aligned trunnions 20 relative to the housing lll,this rotary movement being permitted by an internal distortion or twistin the resilient rubber sleeves 30 without any slipping of the rubberupon the metal surfaces due to the vulcanized bond therewith. 'I'hus allsurface wear is avoided.

During operation the center line of both shafts 40 and 4| must alwayslpass throughthe center of the ball I6 due to the curvature of thebearing surfaces 2| on the inner ends of trunnions 20. This will beclear from Fig. 1, it being obvious from viewing this ligure thatneither pair of relatively fixed trunnions 2li can be translatedlaterally relative to ball i6. However since bearing surfaces 2I arecylindrical in the axial direction of the connected shafts, each pair ofrelatively fixed trunnions 20 may slide a. small distance uponball I6 inan axial direction of the shafts. Such axial sliding of trunnions 20upon ball-i6 is of course resilietly opposed by a direct compressionvofthe rubber` sleeves 30, as be obvious from viewing Fig. 3. Hence thisfeature enables the universal joint to transmit axial thrusts in theconnected shafts in a cushioned manner and yet at all times cause thecenter lines of the two shafts to intersect at the center of .ball i6,regardless of any angularity which may obtain between the two connectedshafts.

While the form of embodimentof tlie present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A resilient universal joint comprising: four trunnions lyingsubstantially in a plane and arranged' radially 90 degrees apart, eachof .said trunnions having a lateral projection rigid therewith, two ofsaid projections on aligned trunnions projecting from one side of saidplane and the other two projections projecting from the opposite side ofsaid plane, a metal housing encasing said four trunnions in spacedrelation there, 4with and having yholes inm each opposed side thereofthrough which said projections project -without normally contacting saidhousing, a cen-s tween of, two elongated recesses crossing each other at,right angles, a pair of opposed 'and aligned metal trunnions in each ofs aid elch-'- gated recesses and spaced. from the walls thereof,

an integral molded resilient rubber-like member lling the spaces betweensaid trunnions and re cess walls and isolating same, a central metalball held in position by said housing and adapted to bear upon the innerends of said four trunnions,

and means for rigidly fixing the two pairs of aligned trunnions to theadjacent ends of two 3. A` resilient universal joint comprising: a metalhousing having two metal halves rigidly l xed Vtogether'and formingv achamber therebetween of two elongated recesses crossing each Y other atright angles, a pair of opposed'and aligned metal trunnions in each ofsaid elongated recesses and spaced from the walls thereof, resilientnon-metallic material filling the spaces between said trunnions andrecess walls and isolating same, a central metal ball held in positionat the center of said housing and adapted to bear upon the inner ends ofsaid four trunnions, each of said trunnions having a lateral projec- Ation, the two projectionson each pair of trunnions projecting throughholes in said housing respectively With suiilcient clearance for arelative pivoting of said housing upon each pair of trun- "nions, andmeans for fixing' the outer ends of said two pairs of projectionsrigidly to the adjacent ends of two-aligned shafts respectively.

n 4. A universal joint adapted to 'connect two shafts, comprising: ayoke member adapted to be rigidly attached to one shaft end and havingsubstantially aligned radial projections, a. second yoke member Aadaptedto be rigidly attached to the second shaft end and having substantiallyaligned radial projections, central means interposed between theradially spaced inner ends of said two, pairs of substantially alignedprojectionsand arranged to positively prevent relative 'lateral movementbetween said pairs, and a frame member having resilient non-metallicpivot mountings for said two pairs of projections.

5. A` universal joint adapted to connect two shafts, comprising: a yokemember adapted to be rigidly attached to one shaft end and having tworadial substantially aligned projections, a second yoke'member adaptedto be rigidly attached to the second shaft end Yand having two radialsubstantially aligned projections; the inner ends of said'fourprojections each having an axially extending cylindrical surface, acentralI metal ball bearing upon the cylindrical inner end oi each ofthe radially spaced inner ends of said two pairs of substantiallyaligned projections and arranged to' positively prevent relative lateralmovement between said pairs but permitting axial movement therebetween,and a frame member having resilient non-metallic pivotmountlngs for saidtwo pairsof projections.

6. A- universal joint adapted lto connect two shafts, comprising: a yokemember adapted to be rigidly attached to one shaft end and havingsubstantially aligned radial projections, having their inner ends spacedapart radially, a second yoke member adapted to be rigidly attached tothe second shaft end and having substantially aligned radial projectionshaving their inner ends spaced lapart radially.' a central .pivot meansbearing upon said two pairs of radially inner ends in such manner as topomtively prevent relative lateral displacement of the conf nectedshafts, and a. frame member having resilient non-metallic pivotmountings for said two pairs of projections.

'1. A universal jointadapted to connect two" shafts, comprising: a yokemember adapted to be rigidly attached to one shaft end and havingsubstantially aligned radial projections, having axially extendingcylindrical inner ends spaced apart radially, a second yoke memberadapted tovbe rigidly attached to the second shaft end and havingsubstantially aligned radial projections having axially extendingcylindrical inner ends spaced apart radially, a central pivot ballbearing upon said two pairs of radially spaced inner ends in such manneras to positively prevent Arelative lateral displacement of the.connected shafts, but permit relative axial displacement thereof, and aframe member having pivot sockets therein within which said fourprojections are' pivotally mounted.

8. A universal Joint member adapted to be connected to ttings at o endsof two shafts, comprising: tour trunnions 'lying substantially in aplane transversethecjoint axis and arranged radially 90 degreesapart,each trunnion having a separate axially projecting stud rigid therewith,the two separate studs of one pair of aligned trunnions extending inparallel and radially spaced relation from one side of said transverseplane and the other two separate studs .of the two radially spacedholes, in each opposed sidethereof through which said radially spacedstuds individually project with normally substantial clearance, andresilient rubber substantially illiing the space between said housingand 'trunnions and extending around said studs closely adjacent 10 thefour clearance holes therefor in said housing.

HARVEY D. GEYER.

